the growling chihuahua

BORG: Jean-Luc Picard, Captain of the Starship Enterprise, Registration NCC-1701-D. You will lower your shields and prepare to transport yourself aboard our vessel. If you do not cooperate we will destroy your ship.

PICARD: You have committed an act of aggression against the United Federation of Planets. If you do not withdraw immediately...

BORG: You will surrender yourself or we will destroy your ship. Your defensive capabilities are unable to withstand our --

PICARD: We have developed new defensive capabilities since our last meeting and we are prepared to use them if you do not withdraw from Federation space.

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What the heck? The Enterprise is no match for the Borg Cube. Picard knows it. The Borg know it. The viewer knows it. Bob Dole knows it. What is Picard trying to accomplish here? Is he curious to see whether Borg can laugh?

Hey, Jean-Luc, I’ve got an idea: tell the Borg you have Corbomite. They’ll believe that. They’ll turn around and run home with their tails between their legs.

I think that exchange between Picard and the Borg sums up Trek's take on the human race nicely. Mankind is never going to think, "oh, okay, surrender seems like a good idea." Let's face it, the bigger the enemy, the poorer the odds, the greater our need to say, "f*ck you, mate."